The knight approached out of the shadows to stand before his empress sitting atop what were his ancestors throne. A throne of bones.
"You're eminence." The polar bear's, powerful voice bellowed from the interior of his helmet. "It's finally ready."
"Thank you Garotan." She spoke softly and with a more sincere tone of voice, she hardly ever used with anyone besides the trusted and revered commander-in-chief.
The towering albatross then breathed a long heavy breath of comforting cold air before standing up in another of her many thrones passed on to her from her inheritance. Ser Garotan stood in calm silence, watching patiently and loyally as she left what was his ancestor's thrones to rot behind her before handing her the gift she had prepared earlier and trusted him to hold onto for the time being. A little white box enveloped with a transparent, and illustriously detailed blue ribbon that she noticed had started to come undone.
"Here allow me." He said. The polar bear removed his glove and unsheathed one of his massive black claws to carefully hold the ribbon in place while she tied it neatly again. Both wanting it to look perfect for today of all days.
"Thank you garotan." She smiled at the simple but kind action. Veadora said as she adjusted her short hair with a wave of her hand, not paying much attention to it. "Let us be off then, no point in standing around any longer in this place.
"I completely agree your majesty." He smiled redoing his gauntlet before taking her hand. Always did find this place dreadfully dull and dusty. "Shall we?"
She gently clasped onto his massive paw to guide her down the massive steps each reaching up to her torso. She then enveloped herself completely in her beatifull white wings until they resembled a large feathered cloak that hung from her shoulders all the way down to the floor beyond. Bundling herself in her own body warmth to provide an extra shield from the harsh elements outside.
The empress and the old Warmaster the ventured out into the ruined castle courtyard filled with unfinished bone longships abandoned centuries ago. Her praetorian albatross guard in their imposing winged helmets already waiting by the doorway to accompany her through the hazy snowfall yet again on garotans strict orders. She had gotten used to their escort and always being surrounded by soldiers. Though she felt as though she didn't deserve it. Still feeling a stranger in their company after all these years living among them even if she was of the same species. But neither she nor Garotan ever took any chances. Where she went. her armies followed. No exceptions for her own safety. There had been far too many close calls with assassins before. Now, you would have to be insane to try and get to her here. And that was just the way they both preferred it. Fear, was very useful in that regard.
Thousands of soldiers' eyes. Thousands of races from the two sides of the globe in a multi-ethnic and chaotic amalgamation of a nation watched and whispered as the Empress graced by through the camp in calm silence. Her white tail feathers and long blue gown swayed close behind across the frozen ground as a painter's brush caressed gently against a pure white canvas. The comforting snowfall fell gently against her face and stuck atop her feathered short white hair which lay dormant of any crown. Those that could bowed in pure respect, others merely tossed and turned writhing in pure agony in their tents from recent costly battles against Northern coalition forces. She almost let their surrounding presence and personal needs distract her. Wanting to stop and ease her subject's troubles through any meager words of comfort. She hated seeing them like this. And they all still looked to her as the symbol of hope for what had once been a struggling and defeated nation and they hated to see her go, even for a short while. But the battle was over and she would still be there for her when she returned. As would they. And she had a schedule to keep like always. After all...She thought pleasantly.
Her enemies would be dealt with. All in due time. And today was a good start.
She looked beyond the horizon out to sea as she left the camp perimeter. A subtle pleasant smile across her face. The victorious imperial fleet of four thousand strong had just secured its first victory this morning in northern waters and was enjoying a long refueling and rest before preparing for the launch of the invasion once she returned. Behind, was a sight to behold. And she cherished it. No. SAVORED it. It had taken twelve years to see. And in then end it found it more than acceptable.
The scarred and burning wreckage of what was left of the northern coalition's pitiful new navy of five hundred. All Gone. The new imperial dreadnaughts fresh off the line had broken through their blockade and taken winter tide easily, the salvaged and subpar grey northern warships from the previous war now sinking and still on fire after only an hour of fighting. Their traitorous occupants of mostly walrus and seal sailors dead or trapped inside as the vessels sank, their muffled screams at last beginning to die down. The coalition never took prisoners, so neither would they. And now, the path lay wide open to claim the rest of the northeastern coastline at last. She and Garotan had planned this assault for a full year and would attack in three days' time. The fighting would be tough, and Gartoan would be at the front, a fact she feared. She knew it was good for morale, and that he needed to be beside his men in the thick of the fighting when they hit the shore. She knew he would succeed. He always did. His people had raided the coastline for thousands of years for prey and plunder. And now, he would lead the charge of the greatest homecoming in history. They had both fled in fear.
Now, they were returning as conquerors.
She turned her attention back to the path and Kept walking for quite a while. Her grip intensifying on the small wrapped box buried deep in her hand in nervous but excited anticipation. She couldn't stop thinking about what she would think. It had been so long since she had last seen her in person. And she mustn't be late in giving it on.
Garotan and the Empress walked down the snowy hill until they reached the frozen harbor where her massive flagship was stationed at the head of the Imperial fleet swaying victoriously in the waves by the shore. It was the largest southern warship ever constructed and for that reason was given the grim moniker the "moving glacier" High upon its tallest mast coated in ice fluttering in the wind was her nation's still proud banner. The white-winged diamond of Aressa on a light blue field fluttering mightily in the intense wind. The colossal white ship was armed to the teeth level to level with hundreds of state-of-the-art hard light pulse cannons that could hit a target over five miles away. Gartotan greatly admired the warship and affectionately referred to it as his massive child with big teeth. But to vea, it was just another tool. And it was what was inside it's hull that truly mattered to her more than weapons of war.
The port side of the ship's ramp had come down hours ago and grasped onto the shoreline. Still waiting at the base of the ramp stood a crew of penguin engineers operating the now assembled and massive portal gate carried ashore and constructed by her own order just recently. The immense marvel of science would transport her millions of miles in an instant to the other side of the globe through its sister gate. Such a device was rare and astronomically expensive for any nation to afford let alone maintain. She didn't much care for the technicalities of such a wonder. All she cared was about was seeing her sooner on her special day. Everything else could wait for the time being. Nothing else mattered. Even the war.
General Garotan signaled for the gatekeeper standing at the control console to activate the portal for her majesty. The small black and white operator nodded its elongated orange beak and quickly pulled the lever to open the otherworldly passage. Suddenly, a glowing blue energy spiraled out of thin air and began to take shape in between the two metal arches. Resembling a frost-coated mirror that Illuminated the cold night for all to see.
Garotan cautiously glanced down toward his Empress standing beside him who stood completely silent, staring at the noisy portal with a saddened, unexpressive look across her weary but still beautiful face. There was hardly ever a smile across it. Not anymore ever since becoming empress.
"Are you sure you're ready?" Garotan asked gravely concerned with a deep but gentle voice. Scratching the back of his neck anxiously with his claws. "She won't take it so easily this time I fear.
Empress Vea closed her eyes and let out a breath of cold winter air afraid of the fact that he was right. She straightened her slender spine up to its full height as a display of fearlessness until she was half his immense height. It was a false display that she knew full well. Just an attempt to imitate the sheer assuredness and overwhelming confidence that radiated off of him. But whatever helped. But even so. She wished she could give her more than just this sad little trinket, especially knowing what she really desired. But another year had passed, which sadly meant yet another broken promise in a long list that had only grown into a mountain of lies and deceit. This would be difficult, but she would listen to her reasoning yet again. Vea knew deep in her heart this was the right choice. No matter if it no one else would ever see it that way. She looked on towards the gate, fiddling with the blue ribbon.
There was no escaping what lay behind those doors any longer. Her heart raced in fear. She had never felt more powerless than at this exact moment. But she needed to do this. And if she had to go through her daughter's tears again in order to keep her truly safe from outside harm. Then so be it.
"I know she won't like what I have to say," Vea said solemnly not turning her stern full face from the portal. "This will be hard for both of us, but I'm afraid there is no other option. I know she will hate me. But I know what is best for her and she will understand in due time why it has to be this way."
"But what about after? The hairy warrior asked with a solemn deep voice. Surely next year perhaps? It's been so long since she...."
"There is no need to dwell on such future worries any longer my friend. "At least for now. This is a precious day and I wish to spend it wisely. Not wasting it by dreading about what tomorrow may or may not bring. Nothing more of consequence will trouble her from the outside world. Least of all this blasted war, or any scrap of worry or self-doubt on my part. She deserves my undivided attention today of all days. Not as her ruler. But as her mother."
Garotan nodded his blocky head calmly to his long-time friend below, trusting her final decision entirely, knowing it to be the right one no matter what. "Of course your grace. Shall we?" The white haired giant then grabbed her bags and politely gestured his massive paw for her to enter first as usual.
"Yes..." She said calmly and with a voice devoid of all warmth.
"We shall."
Without a second thought, The Empress stepped into the frozen gateway to the other side of the world.